


Doggone It!

by pinkevilbob



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22445485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Caleb just wants a quiet afternoon at the park that was all. But Nugget has other plans.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 8
Kudos: 67





	Doggone It!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kileykao](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kileykao/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILEY!!! It's her birthday! I wrote her a fic!

Caleb sighed in the heat of the day. The small apartment he and Nott shared was being painted, so he and Frumpkin had to get out to avoid the fumes. Normally, he’d just go to the library, but there was apparently a difference in opinions on what counted as a service animal and emotional support cats were not of the library’s list. So Frumpkin and Caleb found themselves suffering in the hot sun in the park. Frumpkin may have looked perfectly fine, but Caleb knew that his cat must’ve been just as miserable as he was.

While Caleb was trying to decide whether it was worth trying to go back to the apartment yet, a beast of a dog ran past him dragging an ownerless leash behind it. By the time Caleb had thought to grab the leash, the dog was already gone. Which was for the best, the dog looked like it would drag Caleb as easily as the leash.

“Some pets have no matters,” Caleb said to Frumpkin. “Not like you.” The cat gave him a little headbutt. He began walking back to his apartment when someone crashed into him.

“Ohmigosh! I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” Landed right on top of him was a young woman. Her blue hair hung over her freckle speckled face and she was all rumpled up from their fall.

Caleb blew the hair out of his face. “I will be once I can get up.”

“Oh right!” The young woman jumped up and over Caleb her hand. “Hi! I’m Jester.”

Caleb took her hand and let her help him up. “Caleb. Caleb Widogast.” Standing up, he got a better look at her. Jester wore an eclectic mix of colors and patterns that made no sense to Caleb, but it suited her. She was pretty he had to admit, though Jester wouldn’t be called a classic beauty.

Jester grinned at him. “Nice to meet you.” She looked around a little worried looking. “Um, have you seen a dog run past?”

“Waist high and looks like a wild dingo?” Caleb asked.

“Yeah! You saw Nugget?”

Caleb nodded and pointed in the direction the dog ran in. “That way.”

“Thanks! Nugget gets super excited when his vest is off, and he saw some geese. I gotta go.” Jester started to leave when she nearly tripped again. Tangled between hers and Caleb’s ankles was Frumpkin and his leash.

“Frumpkin!” Caleb admonished. “I’m sorry. He’s usually not like this.” He carefully unweaved Frumpkin from their legs.

Jester giggled. “It’s alright. He’s a cute kitty.” She then gasped pointing at his vest. “Oh and he’s got the same job Nugget does!”

Caleb stared at her. “Your dog is an emotional support animal?”

“Yeah. I mean he’s my mom’s, but I take him for runs. He got away this time.” Jester pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“Ah, do you need help finding him?” Caleb asked.

Jester stared at him like he offered to go to the moon for her. “Would you?”

“Ja, it’s not a problem.” Caleb was the first to admit that he did not like dogs, but he found it impossible to say no to that look on her face.

“Thanks! Um, where did you see him go?”

Caleb ended up leading the way while Jester shouted out variations of Nugget’s name. “Nuggy-Wuggy-Dyson-Buggy!”

In the distance, there was the sound of geese followed by barking and then a splash. “Hey, when you saw Nugget was he running in the direction of the lake?”

“Ja, I believe so.”

They both started running towards the lake. Once they got there, the sight of the dog swimming towards a flock of geese greeted them.

“Nugget!” Jester yelled.

Caleb turned to Frumpkin on his shoulder. “I would just like to thank you for being above such nonsense.” Frumpkin yawned showing off his small pointy teeth.

Jester stood at the shore. “Nugget! Nugget, get back here! No, stop chasing the geese!”

“Has he done this before?” Caleb asked staring at the dog who seemed to be having the time of his life.

“No, this is the first time. Nugget! Even if you get to them, what do you expect to happen? You’re in their favored terrain! Nugget!” Jester yelled.

Nugget continued to joyfully ignore her.

“Looks like someone’s going to have to go after him,” Caleb said.

“Yeah,” Jester said pouting. Her skirt was cute with layers of petticoats and ruffles. It probably wouldn’t fair well in the water.

Caleb sighed and took off his shoes. 

“What are you doing?” Jester asked.

“I’m getting ready to go get a ridiculous dog. Here,” he handed Jester Frumpkin, “Frumpkin hates to get wet.” The same could be said about Caleb, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. Caleb took his coat off and began to wade into the cold water. Mud squelched under his feet with every step he took and Caleb grimaced. He only hoped that Nugget appreciated the amount of trouble Caleb was going through for him.

By the time Caleb reached Nugget, the lake was up to Caleb’s chest. Nugget turned to Caleb, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Caleb just glared at the dog and grabbed his leash earning a lick on his face.

“Come on Nugget! Behave for Caleb! Come home!” Jester called.

Nugget finally began to swim towards the shore. “Sure, now you want to go,” Caleb grumbled. But the smile on Jester’s face drove Caleb’s bad mood away immediately.

“Thanks, Caleb! You saved Nugget!” She took Nugget’s leash and awkwardly hugged Caleb trying not to get wet.

“It was nothing,” Caleb said. He could already feel his face turning red hot.

Jester shook her head. “No it wasn’t. You got all wet and smelly just to get Nugget for me. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I don’t mind,” Caleb said.

“I owe you though. Do you drink cocoa?” Jaster asked. “You must be freezing.”

Caleb sneezed on cue. “Ja, that sounds nice. But maybe, I should get changed first.”

Jester nodded. “Right! And me and Nugget can walk you and Frumpkin home, and then when you’re dry and don’t smell like a wet dog, we’ll get cocoa!”

“Ja.” Despite himself, Caleb was smiling. Maybe Nugget wasn’t so bad after all.


End file.
